Second Chances
by Contorce
Summary: Jack and Kate get a second chance with their life together, along with some new additions. They've got their own problems and worries to sort out, but can they come together to make the perfect family? Postisland Jate
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer - Lost belongs to NBC (I think) and so it'll stay that way, no matter how many disclaimers I write. This fic is after the island and after Kate has served her time.**

Kate nervously shifted on her feet after ringing the doorbell. She heard footsteps in the house and she bit her lip. The door opened.

"Kate?" Jack stared at her in disbelief.

Kate tried to smile back, but her face crumpled. "Jack."

"Hey, what's wrong?" Jack wrapped his arms around her and led her inside his house. "Kate, what's wrong?"

"I tried to call." Kate said. "Busy signal."

"It's okay." Jack said. "Where have you been? Claire and Sun have gotten a couple calls, but..."

"I tried." Kate shook her head. "I just couldn't."

"No!" Jack shouted. "I tried to visit you at CIW! They told me you didn't want to see anyone. That was for _four years._ One day they told me you were gone. And now, a year and three months later, you're here? Where were you?"

Kate began to sob and she covered her mouth with her hand, as if to hide it. Tears came to Jack's eyes and he rocked her back and forth. Kate pulled away.

"Kate..." Jack pleaded with her.

"No," Kate said, the remnants of a smile on her face. She burst out the door, stopping in front of an old, battered car. She opened the door and reached into the car, pulling out a baby.

Jack stared. "Kate, what's this?"

"Don't worry, she's not mine." Kate teased. "But he is."

A small boy clambered out of the opposite car, searching the street warily before crossing to the sidewalk. He was thin, but sturdy, and had shaggy, curly brown hair.

Jack's throat swelled up. "Is he mine?"

Joy welled up in Kate's eyes. "Yes, Jack."

Jack's son looked up at him with hazel eyes. "Are you my dad?"

"Yes." Jack nodded, emotions and a long night at work beginning to catch up with him.

"His name is Sam, Samuel Thomas Austen." Kate told Jack. "He's five."

Sam nodded in confirmation, standing there in his beat up Converse and worn t-shirt. Jack crossed the ground between them in one big step and pulled his son in for a hug.

"I'm your dad, Sam." Jack grinned. "I'm your dad."

Sam looked uneasy and held himself stiff. As soon as was released, he looked more relaxed.

"Mom, when are we leaving?" He whispered to his mother, trying to be quiet. Jack heard him and stiffened.

"I don't know, Sam." Kate answered, keeping one eye on Jack.

"Well, why don't you come in?" Jack asked. "I can get you some dinner or something."

"Alright." Kate said. "C'mon, Sam."

"What's for dinner, Mom?" Sam questioned, slipping his hand into Kate's free one.

"Ask your father." Kate smiled at Jack.

"Um...leftovers okay?"

"Leftover what?" Sam said with a look of horror on his face.

"Leftover chicken and vegetables." Jack answered, somewhat confused.

"Oh, good," Sam was obviously quite relieved. "Because once Mum saved this really nasty t.v. dinner stuff, and when she said leftover time, it was nastier."

"Sam," Kate said, blushing, "I didn't make you eat it."

"No, but I took a bite before I knew it was bad."

"Tell Jack about your sister."

"She's Bailey." Sam answered.

"The woman we were living with, she had a baby, but didn't take care of it much. She was drunk a lot and ran out of food. I'm not sure if she even knows its gone."

"You kidnapped her?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"She hadn't even named her, Jack." Kate gave him a look. "Of course I took her."

"Do you want me to take her?" Jack held out his arms.

"NO!" Sam shouted, placing himself between Kate and Jack. "You can't have her! She's ours!"

"Hon, your daddy just wants to hold her." Kate smiled, handing Bailey to Jack.

"How old is she?" Jack asked, smiling down at the cute face.

"Seven months." Kate opened the door for Jack, who had his arms full.

Sam was staring at Jack and Bailey. "She's not yours."

"I know." Jack was taken by surprise.

"It's okay, Sammy." Kate said. "Just take it in, remember?"

Sam smiled, revealing a space where his front tooth should have been. "I _know_, mum."

"How long are you going to stay, Kate?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. You've got your life and I've got mine."

"Sam is my _son._" Jack said vehemently. "You can't take him away from me."

"You haven't been there." Kate retorted. "I have. He didn't even know he had a father until last week."

The hurt was obvious is Jack's eyes.

"Jack, I'm sorry." Kate said quickly. "It's just, I'm used to making the decisions."

"Okay," Jack nodded. "But you can't take him away."

"We'll see." She promised vaguely. "I can get the food."

"It's in the fridge, top space on the left."

"Ugh, Jack," An amused Kate stared at Jack over the refrigerator door. "Do you ever clean your fridge?"

"Yah," Jack said defensively. "I cleaned it last...two months ago."

Kate giggled and brought out the dish of food.

"Is that two months old?" Sam asked warily.

"No, I had it two nights ago." Jack grinned at Sam. "It's safe."

Kate took off the lid and stuck it in the microwave. She went to the cupboards and flipped them open until she found the one with the plates. Turning to Jack, she asked, "Do you want to eat?"

"I already did." Jack said.

"Okay." Kate got out two plates. Jack handed Bailey to Sam and got up to help Kate.

"Do you have a dog?" Sam asked.

"Sorry, but no." Jack said. "Would you like a dog?"

"I want a dog with long fur, so I can pet it. I want him to play catch with me." Sam nodded seriously.

"I'll tell you what, if you stay than we'll pick out a dog for you." Jack promised.

"We don't stay long in one place." Sam told him. "And the hotels don't let us have dogs."

"Then we can keep it her, for when you visit."

Sam thought about that for a minute, then beamed.

Kate dished out the food and switched Sam's plate for Bailey.

"Here, you eat." Jack held Bailey so Kate could eat her food.

"So, where was Sam when you were in.." Jack cut off, thinking that Sam might not know where Kate had been during his babyhood. "When you were away?"

"Sammy stayed with my cousin. We were kind of close when we were kids. She was okay with helping out. I got him as soon as I could."

Sam pushed his peas around his plate with his fork. "I'm tired. Can I go to bed?"

"Finish your peas." Kate told him. "Or I'll..."

"Sell you to the man who makes the fertilizer." Sam mimicked in a high-pitched voice. Kate swatted at him, but he evaded her easily. He brought the plate up to his mouth and swallowed the peas in one gulp.

"Chew your food." Kate said as Jack told Sam to "Chew or you'll choke."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Is that a parent thing?"

Kate met Jack's eyes before laughing and breaking away. "Yes," Jack held Kate's hand. "That was a parent thing."

"Okaay." Sam held out the word. "Where do I sleep?"

"You can have the guest room." Jack told him. "It's the first door you see when you get up the stairs."

"You go on up, Sammy. I'll bring Bailey in a minute."

"You'll have to drive her." Sam warned. "She won't sleep unless she's in a car."

"Just go to bed." Kate smiled.

"You'll see." Sam threw up his hands. "You'll wish you listened to me."

"I'll just wake you up and have you sing to her." Kate teased.

"I'd think it was morning and I'd sing the wake-up song." Sam smiled mischievously. "But then I'd get too tired and you'd be stuck with her."

"She'd cry too loud." Kate shot back. "You'd have to hold her because I'd have to go to the bathroom."

"And you wouldn't come out." Sam's good mood disappeared and he glared at his mother. "And I'd have to come and get you but you'd be dead. You'd be bleeding..."

"Sam," Kate warned. "To bed."

With one final glare at Kate, Sam trudged upstairs.

Jack raised his eyebrows worriedly. "Blood, Kate?"

"It was nothing, honest." Kate said, tight-lipped. "Just forget it."

"Kate." Jack looked deep into her eyes. "You can tell me."

"No, I can't." Kate glared at him. "I can't. It doesn't matter anymore."

Jack let it go, not wanting to drive her away as soon as he got her back.

"It is okay that we stay here for a bit?" Kate asked shyly.

"Kate, you'll always have a place here." Jack told her. "Why now, though?"

"Sammy started asking about you." Kate said. "It was time he met his dad."

"You didn't miss me at all?" Jack wondered.

"Well, yah." Kate grinned at Jack. "I was just..."

"Sam." Jack beamed. "You should have told me sooner."

"I tried. So you like him?"

"He's my son."

"He has your eyebrows. Poor kid." Kate teased.

Jack gasped in mock hurt. "So, tell me about him. Sam."

"Um, he's really smart." Kate said proudly. "How could he not be? Look at his father. He's really protective of Bailey, ever since he learned her mother didn't love her. He's gotten better now that I'm her mom."

Bailey was half asleep in Jack's arms, and trying to fight it. Her tiny fists rubbed at her eyes and she blinked.

"She's tired." Jack smiled lovingly.

"Do you mind that she isn't yours?"

"As long as she isn't yours either." Jack traced the lines on Kate's hand.

"Tell me about you." Kate said. "Still a surgeon?"

"Yes, working long days at the hospital." Jack groaned.

"No romantic interests?" Kate half-joked.

"Well, there is one." Jack said slowly.

"Who?" Kate tried to appear nonchalant.

"Well, she bore my son and brought me a perfect baby girl." Jack grinned.

"Oh, right."

"How long are you going to stay, Kate?"

The question caught her off guard. "I don't know. Long enough for Sam to get to know his dad. And I'll bring him around once in a while."

"Why can't you stay forever?" Jack pleaded.

Kate shifted. "I don't know. It's...complicated."

Bailey made a small noise and the pair looked down at her. She was sleeping in Jack's arms.

"I'll stay forever if you can get her to do that every night." Kate shook her head in amazement.

"I said I'd call Claire." Jack realized.

"What?"

"I said I'd call her when I got news from you." Jack said. "We were trying to find you."

Kate tossed him the phone. He caught it one-handed, then tossed it back. "She'd rather hear from you."

"Do I have to?" Kate said.

"Otherwise, you'll have to take Bailey. I can't talk when both my hands are busy."

Kate rolled her eyes and dialed the number.  
"You memorized her number?" Jack asked.

"Do you know how many times I tried to call you guys? Even Hurley... Be quiet, it's ringing."

_"Hello?"_ It was a man's voice, presumably Charlie's.

"Hi. Is Claire there?"

_"Um...Claire?"_ You could hear Charlie shouting for Claire. _"She's not available right not. Can I take a message?"_

"Just tell her it was Kate. I'm at..."

_"Bloody heck. Claire, it's Kate!"_ There was a short scream and a scuffle.

_"Kate?"_

"Hi, Claire."

_"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! Where are you? Where have you been?"_

"I'm at Jack's."

_"Good. I can't believe it! What have you been up to?"_

"Nothing really." Kate answered wryly. "I have a son."

_"You're joking!"_ Claire asked in disbelief.

"And a daughter, who isn't really mine." Kate added.

_"Kate's got two kids!"_ Claire told Charlie. "What are their names?"

"Sam is Jack's and he's five. Bailey is my friend's and she's seven months."

_"Aw, they sound so cute. How long will you be at Jack's?"_

"I don't know. I wasn't even going to stay but..."

"_You'd better stay. Did you know we just live three hours from where you are? Ask Jack if we can come." _

"Claire, you'll be driving all night. I'm not going anywhere."

"_Ask him."_

Kate smiled and rolled her eyes. "Jack, can Claire and Charlie come?"

"Sure." Jack answered.

"_I heard that." _Claire said. _"Charlie, get Aaron ready. Ooh, Kate, guess what?"_

"What?"

"_I'm pregnant again!" _

"I wouldn't be driving." Kate warned. "It seems the unluckiest things happy to you when you travel pregnant."

On the other line, Claire snorted. "_Right. You'd better stay up for us, cause we're almost ready."_

"Okay, okay."

"_Got to go, Charlie's got the car waiting."_

"How did you get ready so fast?" Kate wondered.

"_Long story. Ask for it when we get there. See you in a bit." _

The phone line clicked and Kate stared at it. "Bye?"

"So, Claire and Charlie are coming?" Jack asked.

"Guess I'd better move Sammy out of the guest room."

"I'll get him. You eat." Jack made his way up the stairs and Kate was left sitting there, excited and apprehensive.

**Please review. If I don't get like 5 reviews for this chapter in a day or so, I'm not keeping it up.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Just because my other Lost fanfic is feeling left out, please read it. It's called Leave Me Alone and is about a girl named Lee, whose small plane crashed on the island. She was one of two survivors, but the other one got taken by the Others. Lee herself met a Other before she met Jack and them, so she was didn't understand both sides of the stories. She makes a huge mistake and is run off. Instead of dying alone in the jungle, she finds something extremely useful. Please read and review.**

**Chapter 2**

"Kate! Kate!"

Hazy faces passed before Kate's vision and she groggily opened her eyes. "What?"

"You said you'd stay awake." Claire accused. Kate sat up on the conch where she had been sleeping.

"Yah, I know." Kate groaned. "I was so tired..."

"It's alright. This is Aaron." Claire proudly brought forward her son, a tall boy with blond hair. Kate's jaw dropped.

"Aaron? When I saw you last, you were...just a baby."

"Aaron, this is your Aunt Kate. She delivered you."

"On the island, right?" The blond-haired boy asked.

"Yes." Kate said. "About that. Sam doesn't know anything."

"He doesn't know about the island?" Claire gasped. "Why not?"

"I was afraid that when he grew up, he'd use it to find out what I did." Kate ducked her head.

"Okay, then. Aaron, don't say anything to Sam about the island. Alright?"

"Yes, mum."

"So is this the new one?" Kate patted Claire's bulging stomach.

"Charlie wants a boy, but I want a little girl. Where's Jack?"

Kate stood up and stretched. "I'm not sure. We were talking and then I feel asleep. "

"Does he have Bailey?"

"I guess." Kate laughed. "I sound like such a horrible mother."

Claire joined in her laughter. "Oh, I know. The other day, I told Aaron he couldn't go to the park, so he went up to his room. Hours later, Charlie called me and asked why Aaron was alone at the park."

"I snuck out the window." Aaron grinned proudly. "Dad taught me how."

Kate looked confused at Claire, who explained. "He means Charlie."

"Oh," Kate nodded. "Where is Charlie?"

Claire giggled. "He almost fell asleep at the wheel, so I made him sleep. When we got here, I told him he had to run to the store. I thought that Jack wouldn't have enough groceries for all of us."

Kate was beginning to worry about Jack and Bailey. "Can we look for Bailey?"

"Sure. I want to see her anyway." Claire said. "Let's check Jack's room."

"I don't exactly know where that is." Kate started climbing the stairs. When she got to the door at the top of the stairs, she pushed it open. The bed was empty. Kate opened the next door, which was the bathroom. The next door was a linen closet.

"Shhh." Claire held her finger up to her lips. "Come here."

Kate quietly walked over to the open door Claire was standing by. It was Jack's room, neat and orderly. Sam was lying sprawled on the bed, twisted up in the blankets. Jack was in a chair, holding Bailey. Both were asleep. Claire carefully shut the door.

"Now all you need to do is lay down on that bed and have Jack staring at you all night."

"Claire!" Kate flamed.

"Just kidding." Claire said, obviously not sorry at all. "Aaron, get your bag from the front door and get ready for bed. Kate and me are going to catch up."

"Okay." Aaron yawned and padded down the stairs. Claire and Kate followed a lot more slowly. They settled on the couch.

"Do you ever find yourself missing the island?" Kate asked.

"Yes!" Claire answered. "I'm dreaming about it and it's hot and I can smell it."

"And then you wake up and you're in some ratty hotel." Kate shook her head. "I thought I wanted to be rescued."

"I miss Sun." Claire said. "And Jin and Rose and Locke."

"I miss Sayid. He was always there, ready to help." Kate smiled. "Hurley."

Claire laughed. "I miss him too. Remember when he gave us the Dharma food?"

"That was the best party ever."

"I miss Danielle too. I thought I could see her die, after she stole Aaron, but she was just trying to get her own child back."

"I wish we were back there." Kate said morosely.

Suddenly, Claire jumped up. "I know! What if we find everyone and invite them?"

"Back to the island?" Kate raised her eyebrows.

"No! Oh no. But Jack has a big house. We could have it here."

"I don't know." Kate bit her lip. "Isn't that a lot to ask of him?"

"It would be a surprise." Claire giggled. "For him."

"Claire!" Kate tossed a pillow at Claire, who whammed her with it. Kate stared in shock before grabbing her own pillow. She leaped up to avoid being hit again. Claire followed her.

Claire wielded the pillow like a spear, jabbing and blocking Kate's blows. Kate feinted for Claire's legs, instead hitting her shoulder. While Kate was laughing, Claire gave her a blow to the face. Kate smashed Claire with the pillow, gasping when the feather pillow burst.

The feathers slowly fell to the ground in the dead silence. Both women's mouths were wide Os of shock. A feather flitted back and forth before finally settling on Claire's nose.

Kate burst out laughing. Claire could hardly contain herself. They collapsed on the couch, still holding their pillows.

"If I don't stop, I am going to have this baby right now, premature or not." Claire gasped out.

"That would be another mess to explain to Jack." Kate cracked up.

"We can get it cleaned up." Claire reassured her, before dumping a handful of feathers on Kate's head. "The feathers anyway."

The two women froze when they heard a toilet flush upstairs.

"Jack." Claire whispered.

"Run." Kate forced out.

They both left the living room and the pillows, flicking off the light switch as they went. They crouched behind the island in the kitchen, covering their mouths with their hands. The footsteps continued down the stairs and stopped in the living room. The light didn't go on, so they assumed that Jack hadn't seen the feathers. They came into the dining room, where they stopped.

"Kate?" It was Jack, sounding confused.

Claire and Kate were carefully not to look at each, all the time knowing it was a lost cause anyway. Kate bit her thumb to keep from making noise, but the sound rolled back from deep inside her throat. A croak-like sound emerged. Claire began to giggle.

Kate and Claire turned their heads and saw Jack staring at them. They stood up quickly, dusting off the feathers.

"What _are _you two doing?"

"We can explain..." Kate began.

"It's not our fault..." Claire said at the same time.

Jack slowly plucked a feather from Kate's hair and held it in front of her face. Kate looked up at Jack with mirth-filled eyes.

"Claire, how have you been?" Jack asked.

"Fine." Claire said, trying to regain her composure.

Charlie opened the front door, arms full of groceries. "Hi, Jack. Hi, Kate."

"Hey, Charlie." Kate said.

"It's good to see you." Jack added.

"I'll help you with those. Are there more in the car?" Claire asked.

"Yah." Charlie said, setting down the groceries and putting his arm around Claire's waist as they walked out of the house.

"We saw you with Bailey and Sam. It was really cute." Kate smiled.

Jack moved closer to Kate. "Really cute, huh?"

"You're good with them." Kate started looking a little nervous.

Jack was so close to Kate that she could feel his hot breath on her face. He made a move to wrap his arms around her, but she sidestepped him.

"Jack, I'm not..." Kate winced at the look of hurt on his face. "I'm not ready. I can't..."

Jack nodded. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

Claire and Charlie came back in, toting the last of the bags. "Oh," Claire stopped. "Are we interrupting something?"

"Cause we can leave." Charlie set down the packages and started pulling Claire away.

"No, you're not interrupting anything." Jack said. Claire looked a little disappointed.

"Well, I'd better turn in." Charlie yawned. "I've been driving all night."

"I drove the last bit!" Claire poked him. "Night, Kate, Jack."

"Good night." Kate said.

"Yah, cause I was falling asleep." Charlie argued.

"You could have let me drive the whole way. I was wide awake."

"Bloody neurotic." Charlie grumbled. They went up the stairs to the guest room.

"Do you want to go to the living room and sit down?" Jack asked.

"No!" Kate said, too fast. "I mean, I'm...thirsty."

"Okay, I'll get you something." Jack said and opened the fridge. "Juice, milk, water, something stronger?"

"Juice is fine." Kate said. Jack poured her a glass and Kate sipped at it.

"Kate, I called in at the hospital. I said I'd take the day off. What do you want to do tomorrow?"

Kate smiled. "Something for the kids."

"We could take them to the zoo."

Kate immediately shook her head. "I hate zoos. All the animals, in cages. How about we take them to the park?"

"We could have a picnic." Jack grinned. "With leftovers."

Kate lightly punched his shoulder. "Do you have to keep bringing that up?"

"Of course. I like the park idea. Aaron and Sam could get to know each other better."

"It's so nice, seeing them again. Claire and Charlie." Kate said. "I missed you all so much."

"I only saw them a couple times since we got back. Life just kept going, everything was so busy."

"I miss Sun." Kate mourned, keeping a close eye on Jack. "And Rose."

Jack caught on. "Did Claire put you up to this?"

"Put me up to what?" Kate put on her innocent face.

"Trying to get me to host a reunion."

"Was it really that obvious?"

"She tried to get me to do it a couple years ago. She said I was pretty much the leader on the island, so I could get everyone together."

"Why didn't you?" Kate asked curiously.

"It wouldn't have been the same without you." Jack answered.

A muffled scream from upstairs got both their attention. Kate stood up immediately, knocking over her juice. "It's Sam."

Kate pelted up the stairs and flew into Jack's room. Sam was sitting up in bed, crying and looking lost. Bailey had begun to wake up and was whimpering.

"Hush, Sammy, I'm here." Kate crooned, holding Sam tight.

"It was him again, mom." Sam cried. "He came again. Where's Bailey?"

"Jack, get Bailey." Kate said.

Jack held Bailey and sat down on the bed. "Bailey's right here."

Sam reached out and touched Bailey's face just to be sure.

"Is everything alright?" Claire asked, standing at the door, wrapped in a blanket.

"Sammy just had a nightmare." Kate said. "He'll be fine."

"It was about the man again." Sam cuddled close to his mother. "The one that kept knocking and yell..."

"It's alright, Sam." Kate interrupted. "It's fine. Just a dream."

"I think I want to hear more about this man." Jack looked at Kate.

"Not in front of him." Kate said, looking at Sam.

"I'll wait then." Jack said, telling her with his eyes that he wasn't going to give this up.

Claire went back to bed and Sam fell back asleep. Bailey cried when Jack put her down, so Jack kept her.

"Let's go downstairs." Jack said. "And I want to know about him."

Kate followed reluctantly.

"I never knew his name." Kate told him. "The man. I was a waitress and he kept trying to talk to me."

They stopped at the bottom of the stairs and Kate sat down, rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand.

"That's not all?" Jack said worriedly.

"Do you want there to be more?" Kate smiled wryly. "He tried to touch me and I stopped serving him. He kept watching me though. Once he followed me home. That's the knocking and stuff. That's it."

"Where'd he go?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. He just...went away."

"She's lying." Sam stood at the top of the stairs, watching them. "She's lying."

"Sam, go to bed!" Kate shouted.

"No!" Sam yelled back. "You said he'd go away! He didn't!" Sam stomped down the stairs and stopped in front of Jack.

"Do you have something you want to tell me, son?" Jack asked.

"Yah. Yah." Sam took a nervous look at Kate, then looked back at Jack. "She left me and Bailey in the hotel cause she had to go to work. Someone was knocking and I didn't open it but I looked through the keyhole and it was him. Mom had told me what he looked like and there was the mustache."

"Sam," Kate grabbed his arm. "That's enough. I'll tell your dad."

"No, you won't." Sam glared at her. "You'll lie. Dad needs to know."

Jack half-grinned, touched that Sam called him his Dad. "Kate, it's alright. I won't get mad."

"I got scared and tried to call Mom but the restaurant said she left. _He_ stopped knocking and I looked out the window to see Mom's car. I saw it and I opened the window and shouted down, but she didn't hear me." Sam took a deep breath. "When the door opened again, it was Mom. She locked it tight and went straight to the bathroom."

"I wasn't feeling well. That's it. Samuel, go to bed!"

"Dad _needs _to know!" Sam shouted. Jack was amazed at how strong he looked standing up to his mother. He was only five, after all. "I kept calling for her, but she didn't answer! The door was locked and she wouldn't answer!"

"Sam, please!" Kate begged.

"I kicked the door, but it wouldn't open! I got a screwdriver and took off the doorknob!" Sam was screaming at the top of his lungs. "She sitting by the toilet with blood all around and her eyes were closed!"

He panted, close to tears and whispered the next words. "I thought she was dead."

Kate started to cry and buried her face in her hands. Sam burst into tears and hugged her. Jack's eyes teared up and he wrapped an arm around both of them.

"When I woke up," Kate sobbed. "Sam had washed me up and stopped the bleeding. He put a blanket around me and was watching me."

"I'll kill him." Jack said, face murderous. "Whoever did this, I'll kill him."

"Maybe." Sam said. "I saw him, yesterday. Mom doesn't believe me, but I saw him."

"I'll be here. Don't worry, I'll always be here." Jack promised.

"I'll be here too, Mom." Sam patted his mother's back. "Don't worry. I can protect you."

"Let's get her to bed, Sam." Jack said, handing Bailey to Sam. He picked Kate up, wedding-style.

Jack whispered, so that Sam couldn't hear. "Kate, we've got a security system, but I'll get us another one. We can keep you safe, alright?"

"Okay," Kate wiped at her tears with her hand. "Jack, put me down."

"No," Jack held her closer.

Kate started to wiggle as he carried her up the stairs. "Jack, you're going to drop me!"

"If you keep moving, yes." Jack grinned. "I'd stop, if I was you."

Kate grumbled and humiliated, she kept still.

"We're off the stairs, put me down." Kate ordered.

"Mom, stop complaining." Sam groaned.

Jack deposited Kate on his bed. "You sleep with Sam. I'll take couch."

Kate remembered the state of the couch, covered with feathers and with one less pillow. "Why don't you stay up here? It's not like anything is going to happen."

"Are you sure?" Jack confirmed. Kate scooted over on the bed, making room for him. Sam cuddled up to Kate and pulled Bailey close to him. Jack shrugged and laid down. Bailey, half-asleep, grabbed Jack's shirt and wouldn't let go.

And together, they fell asleep.

**You know how it goes, review please. It really isn't that hard. One minute of your time to equal a minute of my extreme happiness. Please?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer - Lost belongs to ABC. I messed it up, which was b/c I watch so many shows I can't keep them straight. Anybody else but me watch Jericho?**

**Chapter 3**

When Kate woke up, the bed was empty. She stretched and tried to remember where she was. The knowledge hit her the same time as she inhaled the aroma of freshly baked pancakes. Kate rolled out of bed. She brought the comforter over the bed and sort of straightened it, giving it a half-made appearance.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Claire stood over a frying pan, gesturing with the spatula as she talked to Charlie. Jack leaned against the counter, arms folded. Kate came up behind him.

"Hey." She said. Jack twisted to look at her.

"Hey. Did you sleep good?"

"Yah." Kate answered. "You?"

"Pretty good." Jack said. He made a motion towards her clothes. "Do you need to get your stuff?"

Kate smiled. "Yah, that'd be nice. Where are the kids?"

"In the living room." Jack raised her eyebrows. Behind Jack's shoulders, Claire giggled.

"Did the um...mess get cleaned up?" Kate smiled mischievously.

"They're playing in it." Jack led her to the living room.

Bailey sat in the middle of a mound of feathers. Sam and Aaron were throwing them at each other, Sam occasionally checking if Bailey had feathers in her mouth. He looked up and saw Kate.

"Hi Mom."

"Hi Sammy. Do you want to come out to the car to get your stuff?"

"Sure. Make sure Bailey doesn't eat feathers." Sam told Aaron, before getting up and running to his mother. He hugged her tight. Kate squeezed him back.

The three of them, mother, father, and son, left through the front door. Kate stopped instantly, knowing something was wrong.

"The car..." Kate's voice trailed off. The car was parked facing the other way than it had been last night.

"Didn't you park it the other way?" Jack asked, confirming Kate's fears.

"I got off on that side," Sam remembered. "And I had to walk in the road."

"It doesn't mean anything." Jack comforted them. "It was probably just some teenagers..."

"Don't tell my son that his fears don't mean anything!" Kate snapped, white-lipped. "Fears keep us alive."

Jack threw up his hands. "Sorry, okay? Just trying to help."

Kate started to walk slowly towards her car, half-expecting the man to jump out. Jack followed close behind her. Sam stood still, looking terrified. Right before Kate touched the door handle, he dashed in front of her.

"Sammy, I got it. You can wait by the house." Kate told her son.

"It's okay. I can do it." Sam stood resolutely.

Kate opened the door handle, gasping at the state of her car. Nothing was left in it. It was totally empty.

"He even took the trash." Sam remarked casually.

Kate smashed her fist into the side of the car.

Jack stopped her. "We can get you new stuff."

"It's not just that, Jack. " She turned on him. "There were baby pictures for Sam and Bailey, there was money, everything is gone."

"We can call the police. We'll get them back." Jack promised.

"Mom, you locked the doors." Sam said. "Last night. I remember."

"He has a key then." Kate was beginning to feel dizzy and light-headed.

"Kate, maybe you should sit down."

"I'm fine." Kate was pale and shaky.

"Sam, get your mother in the house." Jack ordered.

Sam took Kate's hand. "Mom, we need to go in _now._"

"Sammy, it's okay." Kate said.

"Mom, _now." _ Sam's voice was urgent. "Dad, leave the car. Hurry."

Sam dragged his mother towards the house, holding on to her with both hands. Kate reluctantly indulged her son. Sam opened the door for his mother and nudged her inside.

"Dad, _please._" Sam said. "Mom needs you."

Jack walked towards the house and through the door. "Sam, what's going on?"

Sam shut the door and locked her. He looked for his mother, who was out of voice range, and whispered. "I saw him. Mustache-man. He was out there."

Jack swore and reached for the doorknob, but Sam stepped in front of him. "He'll be gone by now anyway. I'll get you the phone."

Sam went into the kitchen, where Kate was trying to act normal, and picked up the phone. He brought it to Jack and waited for him to make the call.

"Sam, I'm going to do this. You don't have to stay." Jack told him.

"Yeah, I do." Sam said.

Kate, inside the kitchen, was staring at the stack of pancakes with a worried gaze.

"I think they'll be okay, you know." Claire teased gently. Kate looked up, startled.

"What? Who?"

"The pancakes. They haven't killed Charlie yet." Claire said.

"Oh. I was just thinking..."

"Do you need to talk to someone?" Claire asked.

Kate sighed. "I think I should talk to Jack, it's just I don't know what to say."

"Just tell him the truth." Claire advised. "Of course, I don't know anything about whatever you're thinking about, so I couldn't know."

"It's complicated." Kate didn't meet Claire's eyes. "He wouldn't understand."

"Try him. Pancake?" Claire offered her the plate.

* * *

"Can't we go to the park right away?" Aaron asked. 

"Honey, Sam lost all his clothes. He needs to get new ones."

"Shopping is boring." Aaron scoffed.

"I heard there's a good music store." Charlie put an arm around his son's shoulders. "We can check out the cds."

"Cool!" Aaron excitedly got into the backseat of Charlie's car.

Sam was unusually quiet. He kept peering up and down the road. When he saw that Kate was watching him, he gave her a smile. Jack got into the driver's seat of his car and Kate got into the back. Since Bailey's car seat had been stolen, Kate held the baby on her lap. Claire sat in the front and Sam sat next to his mother, in the back.

"I'd rather come with you all than go with them to the music store." Claire explained. "Honestly, they spend hours looking at guitars and cds. I can get some school things for Aaron, too."

"How old do you have to be to go to school?" Sam asked.

"Aaron started kindergarten when he was five."

"Mom, can I go to school?"

"I don't know. Can't I just teach you at home?" Kate didn't want to let go of her son so soon.

Sam gave her a look. "Mom, Aaron has a teacher. She's supposed to teach. Are you a teacher?"

"Nooo, but I could be."

"Kate," Jack teased. "Isn't this all a bit silly?"

"He's never gone to school. He doesn't know what it's like."

"Give him a chance, Kate."

"I want to go to school." Sam said. "It sounds fun."

"We'll think about it." Kate told him.

Jack pulled into the parking lot for a huge mall.

"There's _tons _of people here." Sam spoke with wonder.

"If we hurry, we can still go to the park." Jack said. He wasn't too eager to spend the day shopping.

"It won't take that long." Kate got out of the car and took Sam's hand. "I've only got thirty dollars on me."

"I'm buying." Jack said firmly.

"That's okay," Kate shook her head. "I got it."

"I didn't help the first five years of his life. I can help now."

"It's okay, he doesn't need that much."

Sam watched the argument with curiosity, then turned to Claire. "Don't most people argue about who gets the money?"

Claire burst out laughing. "He's right, you know. Kate, just let Jack buy it. He's a doctor; he can take care of it."

"Just this once." Kate warned Jack.

"Okay, fine." Jack grinned at her.

In the end, Sam and Bailey ended up with a lot of clothes. Sam got four new pairs of jeans and some dress pants. He got three polo shirts, two sweatshirts, a white dress shirt and vest, five short sleeve shirts and a football jersey. He got two packages each of socks and underwear and a pair of camouflage pajamas. He also got a pair of new dress shoes and a pair of Vans. Bailey got a bunch of cute tops and bottoms along with a pair of adorable little mary-janes. Jack also picked out a car seat. Kate refused to let Jack spend anything on her, so while she split up to spend her thirty dollars, Claire picked out some things that would fit Kate.

Jack also spent a mysterious half-hour away from the women and children. Kate seriously thought about following him to find out where he went, but decided it was none of her business. Besides, though she pretended to be insulted, she was grateful that Jack had bought her clothes. She knew Jack knew too.

They piled back into Jack's car, hurried home, dropped off the clothes, and hurried to the park where Charlie and Aaron were waiting.

"Took you long enough. " Charlie said, somewhat miffed. "How much stuff did you buy?"

"Loads." Sam confirmed. "Dad says I'll look great for school." He aimed the comment at his mother.

Sam and Aaron took off for the playground, swinging off the monkey bars and giving their mothers many scares. Bailey napped on the picnic blanket and Charlie and Jack went to be the lava monsters, which involved much roaring and grabbing.

Claire and Kate had a laughing fit when Sam wrestled in Charlie's grasp screaming bloody murder. An officer, who was watching the park, came over and asked if there was a problem. Jack confirmed that Sam was indeed his son and the officer earned a lecture on the lava monster game, given by Aaron, Sam, and Charlie.

At the end of the day, after shopping, playing in the park, and hot dogs, when all the house was in bed, Kate whispered to Jack, not even knowing if he was awake. "Guess you'd better buy Sammy that dog."

Jack, whom had appeared asleep, grinned widely. "First thing in the morning."

Kate groaned. "Better enroll him in school too."

**Hope you liked it and please review. Someone, namely Russ told me that they wanted some jex. I told them that I might suck at writing sex scenes, though there's a good chance that it'll be good. The thing is, I want the fanfic to be mostly about Jack and Kate bringing the family together with romance, but I don't want their relationship to be based on sex. And right now, there are... obstacles. And ALSO, Jack doesn't know everything that's happened between Kate and the Stalker, and neither does Sam, though he has a good idea. All will be revealed. Later.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I was going through writer's block while writing this, but I still think it's okay.**

**Chapter 4**

"Mom!" Sam jumped on Kate, who instinctively rolled herself into a ball. "Mom, get up, get up!"

"Sammy, what is it?" Kate yawned.

"Dad said I can get a dog! Wake up!"

Kate sat up, hugging her son. "I'm up. Does Jack have Bailey?"

"Yah. Can we leave now?"

"I've got to get dressed." Kate tugged on Sam's 'soldier pjs.' "So do you."

Sam made a face. "Clothes are stupid. I wish no one had to wear them."

Kate giggled. "Go get dressed."

Sam ran out of the room, arms spread wide as if he was an airplane, making chortling noises.

Kate hurriedly dressed and went to the kitchen. Jack had Bailey, who held out her arms for Kate as soon as she saw her.

"How's my girl?" Kate asked, cuddling her baby. "Jack, we ran out of baby formula last night."

"I can run out and get some." Jack said. "What kind do you buy?"

"Enfamil, the powder kind." Kate answered. "I could go..."

"No." Jack grinned as Sam slid down the stairs, fully dressed in his new clothes. "Can I take Sam?"

"Sammy, do you want to go to the store with your father?"

"We were going to get a dog." Sam frowned.

"Bailey needs formula first." Kate explained.

"I want a dog!" Sam cried out. "You promised!"

"You'll still get your dog." Jack said. "You just have to wait."

Sam nodded. "Don't forget."

"I won't. Sam, take care of your mom while I'm gone."

"Always do." Sam looked protectively at Bailey and Kate.

"Bye, Kate." Jack said, ruffling Sam's hair as he left.

"Mom, can I play outside for a little bit?"

"No, it's not safe."

"Okay. I'm going to play upstairs." Sam lightly dashed up the stairs, humming to himself.

Kate settled on the couch with Bailey. The feathers had been mostly cleaned up by Sam and Aaron, who had a fun time of it, but there were still some around. Kate tickled Bailey's nose with a feather, making her smile.

Just a while later, Claire sat down next to Kate. She had just woken up and she was still bleary-eyed. "Hello."

"Hey. Is Charlie still asleep?"

"He's pretending to be." Claire laughed.

"Jack went to get some formula." Kate said. "He's going to get Sammy a dog."

"Aw," Claire smiled. "Sam will love that."

"He woke me up, all ready to go." Kate shook her head. "He wasn't even dressed."

"Are you going to let him go to school?" Claire asked.

"I suppose. I don't want to give him up so soon. I can still remember when he was two and cried whenever I wasn't there." Kate sniffled.

"He reminds me of Jack. He's so smart and protective." Claire complimented.

"Thanks." Kate said. "I love him so much."

"I know. Little boys are so special." Claire got a soft smile on her lips as she thought of Aaron. Looking at Bailey, she laughed. "Little girls are pretty cute too."

"Of course." Kate gave Bailey an Eskimo kiss. "I used to think that I couldn't love her as much because she wasn't my own. I lost a lot of sleep over that. Now, I know that it doesn't matter who gives birth to the baby. Bailey's mine."

"I want a little girl." Claire touched her stomach, which was just beginning to bump.

"Does Charlie care either way?" Kate wondered.

"No. He's got his boy. I'm so glad he and Aaron are so close. When we get married, Charlie's going to adopt Aaron."

"Married?" Kate's eyes widened. "When were you going to tell me?"

"Now?" Claire teased. "There isn't a date yet, just Charlie asked me three weeks ago."

"I'm so happy for you." Kate congratulated her friend.

"What about you and Jack?"

"Wha...what?" Kate flamed.

"What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing."

"Kate, you are the mother of his boy and you tell me nothing?"

"I don't think he likes me anymore!" Kate wailed softly.

"You can't honestly believe that." Claire gave Kate an exasperated look. "I've seen the way he looks at you."

Kate frowned. "I don't really know what to believe."

Sam came down the stairs followed by Aaron, who had just woken up. Sam was carrying a small, brown paper bag that was folded over at the top.

"What do you have?" Kate asked curiously.

"Secret." Sam grinned. Kate handed him Bailey.

"I'm going to take a shower, all right?" Kate was halfway up the stairs when Sam shouted back at her.

"I'm giving Bailey to Aunt Claire!" Sam shouted. Seconds later, Kate heard monster noises from the living room. Smiling, she went to Jack's room to get her things.

Kate had fallen in love with the bathroom in Jack's room. It was clean, bright, and comfortable. There was a shower, but also a small jacuzzi. Kate decided to take a long tub, and she locked the door. Experimenting with the jets, Kate relaxed. She didn't even notice the time slipping away and the water getting colder.

Jack knocked on the door. "Kate? Are you okay in there?"

Kate jerked and scrambled to recover. "Yes! I'll be out in a second." She rinsed off and pulled the plug. She wrapped herself in a thick, fuzzy towel and opened the door.

Jack was still there. He awkwardly stared at her, before looking down. "Um, I just need my razor."

"Right." Kate moved away from the door and sat on the bed, shutting the bedroom door so that she wouldn't be seen.

A minute later, Jack came back. He looked surprised to see her still in the towel.

"I didn't think I should change with you in there..." Kate's voice trailed off. She began to feel fluttery inside and banished any thoughts that she had.

"I guess I'll just leave then." Jack took a deep breath and turned around. "Oh and Kate, Sam really wants to eat breakfast with you."

"I'll be down as soon as I'm finished." Kate said. Jack nodded and left.

She sat on the bed for a long time, trying to calm her racing heart.

* * *

Sam observed the row of dogs in their cages, his gaze resting on a big, proud looking dog. "I bet that one can play catch, right, Dad?" 

"He looks smart enough to learn." Jack shrugged.

"He sure is nice." Sam said, forehead creased in concentration.

"He is a she," The vet smiled at Sam. "We got her from a good home. She's good with children, but the family had a new baby allergic to dogs."

A worker led in a dirty, yapping mutt. He looked to be a cross between a German shepherd and a husky. He was young, about six months old, but a runt.

Sam looked between his first choice and the new arrival. "Dad, I want that one."

"You don't want him." The vet advised. "He'll give you a lot of trouble, and I bet he doesn't play catch."

"I do want him." Sam said stubbornly. "He needs me."

"Oh, don't worry about him. We'll take care of this little guy." The worker shut the dog in a cage and the mutt looked miserable.

"I'll take good care of him. He's the one I want!" Sam held out his hand and yanked it back when the mutt snapped at it.

"Sam, absolutely not. It's dangerous."

"It is a he." Sam pointed out, making Jack grin. "And he just doesn't know I'm his friend. Give him a chance." The boy pleaded.

Jack shook his head firmly and turned to survey the other dog.

While his father wasn't looking, Sam slowly reached his hand towards the mutt. The dog curiously watched his hand, but his muscles were taut. Sam held his hand under the dog's nose and he sniffed it. By the time Jack looked back, the mutt's tail was wagging and Sam was getting his hand cleaned.

"Please, Daddy?" Sam begged. Faced with two pairs of puppy eyes and and 'Daddy' ringing in his ears, Jack was forced to give.

"Mom, come see my dog!" Sam raced into the house, stopping immediately when he realized that something was wrong.

"Sam, did you take the gun out of my car?" Kate asked, face serious. Claire sat beside her, holding Bailey, and watching Sam carefully.

Sam's face adopted his mom' seriousness. "No, mom. You told me.."

"I know what I told you. I also know that it was there yesterday, even after everything else was stolen."

Jack came in the front door, toting a dog carrier. He set it down on the floor near the kitchen counter. "What's wrong?"

"I think Sam took my gun."

"You have a gun?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"Yes!" Kate snapped. "I keep it under the passenger's seat, under the cushion. It's gone. Sam, give me that paper bag."

Sam instinctively clutched the bag tighter. He had been carrying it with him all day, ever since he had appeared with it that morning. "I told you, it's a secret."

"Samuel Thomas Austen, give it to me!" Kate shouted.

Sam's eyes filled with tears and he handed the bag to his mom. "Didn't take the gun."

Kate slowly unwrapped the bag and dumped the contents into her hand.

A single dark object fell out. It was a...rock.

"Why are you carrying around a rock?" Kate asked in surprise.

Sam sniffled and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "It's a _lucky_ rock. It'll keep me safe."

Kate looked at the rock guiltily. "Sammy, I'm so sorry. I thought...never mind. I'm really sorry. I was scared that you'd been carrying a gun all day."

Sam put the rock back into the bag. "I need to keep it safe."

"Do you want to show me your dog now?" Kate asked. Claire looked relieved that nothing had happened, and Sam hadn't had the gun. She handed Bailey to Kate and left the room.

"Yes!" Sam grinned. He knelt and undid the clasp of the cage. "I haven't named him yet. C'mon, dog."

The dog came out. Kate raised her eyebrows at Jack, who shrugged back at her.

"Aw, he's so cute." Kate lied.

"I know." Sam beamed. "He's dirty though. I need to give him a bath."

"Why don't you put him in the back for now?" Jack said. The large backyard was fenced in.

"We can find a big tub and put the hose in it." Sam bounced excitedly.

"Good idea." Kate praised. "Do you want me to help?"

Sam bit his lip. "I don't know. He only likes me. I don't want him to bite you." "Oh, alright. Thanks for the warning." Kate smiled.

"It's okay. Dad, can you get me the tub?"

"Sure. I think I have something in the basement that will work."

Sam took the dog to the backyard. Kate and Jack could hear him laughing and shouting.

"Kate, why did you have a gun?" Jack asked.

"Just to be safe. " Kate said defensively. "Just in case."  
"If you shot someone, it would be so much worse..."

Kate interrupted him. "Why, Jack? Because I'm a convict? Because I've been tried for murder?"

"Keep your voice down!" Jack hissed. "Do you want Sam to hear you?"

Kate calmed down and made sure Sam hadn't heard.

"And yes, that's exactly why it would be so much worse for you to shoot someone. Kate, I can protect you." Jack tried to convince her.

"You're not going to be around!" Kate cried. "You'll be at work, Charlie and Claire will go home, and it'll just be me!"

Jack reached for the phone. "I'll call for a better alarm system. Don't worry, Kate."

Kate half-smiled, watching Jack dial the number. "I won't."

**Please review. Trust me, the next chapters will be better than this one, only I needed to have this in here.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sort of another development chapter, but it's okay. I know it's kind of short, but next one will be longer. I think. Anyway, enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 5**

Time passed. Claire, Charlie, and Aaron left and soon enough, it was time for Sam to go to school.

Kate stood over his bed, looking down at her sleeping child. "Sammy, it's time to get up."

"We leaving again?" Sam asked, face buried in his pillow, still half-asleep.

"No, Sammy. It's time to go to school. C'mon." Kate gently shook his shoulder.

"School?" Sam's eyes flew open.

"You know, you don't have to go." Kate teased, but sort of meant it. "You could stay here with me and..."

Sam jumped up. "School!"

Kate smiled sadly. "Here, put these on." She handed him his clothes.

Kate looked lost as she went down the stairs. Jack was by the stove, cooking eggs, Sam's dog at his feet.

"Kate, the bus will stop at the corner at a quarter to eight. It'll drop him off around two." Jack took the eggs off the stove. He turned and saw Kate's sad face. "He'll be back."

"I know, but what if something happens to him? I won't even know till the call is made."

"You left him at the hotel when you were working."

"Never for six hours. And only once in a while. Bailey had a cold and I didn't want to bring her outside." Kate said mournfully.

Jack framed Kate's face with his hands and lifted her head. "Kate, it'll be okay."

Kate looked up at him, a bit dazed by his touch and the nearness of his own face. Jack started to lean closer and their lips briefly met.

"Mom, Dad," Sam's voice trailed off when he saw them. Kate blushed.

"I've got to go to work." Jack hugged Kate and picked up his bag. "Have fun at school, Sam."

"I will." Sam smiled excitedly.

"Take care of your mother."

"Always do." Sam called back to Jack, who was halfway out the door.

"You look so..grownup." Kate remarked.

Sam nodded. "I thought so too." His mother laughed and dished up some eggs.

"Do you want me to pack you a lunch, or do you want money?"

Sam thought about that. "Can you make me a sub?"

"Sure. Turkey?"

"My favorite." Sam scarfed down his eggs. "I had a dream, last night. It was about a plane and it was crashing."

Kate stopped. "Did you really?"

"Yep. There were words on the side of the plane. I couldn't read them, but I knew the letters. They were O-c-a-n-i-k and then some numbers like 8-1-5 or something."

"Oceanic 815." Kate said in wonder. "Are you sure you heard it in a dream?"

"I've had the dream a lot." Sam wrinkled up his nose. "I hear someone's voice, telling me a story, but that's the only part I remember. Anyway, that's my dog's name. Oceanic 815."

"Okay." Kate took Sam's empty plate. "Are you full? Good. I'll make your sub, and you brush your teeth."

"Gone!" Sam 'vroomed' off.

Kate made Sam's sub just the way he liked it; mustard, a little mayo, one tomato slice, two slices of lunch meat turkey and a bunch of lettuce. She put it in his backpack and found the paper bag with the rock. Not even bothering to open it, she shook her head.

"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy." She mused. Kate cocked an ear and heard Bailey crying upstairs.

"Mom!" Sam yelled from upstairs.

"I'm coming!" Kate shouted back. She took the stairs two at a time, looking at a clock in the hallway as she went. "Sammy, hurry up or you'll be late."

"I'm almost done." Sam answered.

Kate went into Jack's room, where a temporary playpen had been set up. Bailey was wailing in it. Kate picked her up and soothed her, going downstairs. Sam was standing with his backpack by the front door.

"Can we take Oceanic to the bus stop?" Sam asked, holding out a leash.

"Put him on his leash." Kate said. Bailey rested her head on Kate's shoulder and Sam handed the end of Oceanic's leash to Kate. The three of them left the house.

The street corner was filled with kids and mothers. Kate approached shyly, cautiously.

"Hi. Did you just move in?" A older, redheaded woman asked with a kind smile.

"Yes, just last month." Kate answered.

"I'm Sarah, by the way." The redhead introduced herself. "This is my girl, Mattie."

"I'm Kate." Kate smiled. "This is Sam, and Bailey."

"Ah, you're so lucky to have a young one still. Mattie is my youngest. I've got one in high school. It makes you feel old." Sarah joked.

Kate laughed. "I already feel old."

"Don't say that." Sarah said seriously. "If you feel old, what does that make me? You're still young, enjoy it while you can."

"What's your doggie's name?" Mattie asked.

"Oceanic 815." Sam recited proudly. "I named him."

"Oh. My. Gosh." One dark-haired mother stared at Kate, who shifted.

"What?" Said another, curiously.

"She's that one, from the crash..." The dark-haired woman said.

Kate interrupted. "Save it."

"Not in front of her son." Sarah snapped, understanding the situation.

Sammy looked up curiously. "Was it a plane crash?"

"No, I was in a car crash." Kate softly fibbed. It wasn't technically a lie; she'd been in many crashes.

The bus pulled up and all the kids excitedly ran up the stairs, shouting back to their parents. Sammy hugged Kate, then got on the bus.

"Your son doesn't know?" The dark-haired woman asked.

"No." Kate said defensively.

"Leave her alone, Tracy." Sarah glared at the other woman.

"But she killed her father!"

"Step-father." Kate muttered.

Tracy continued. "She's dangerous! And she's living next-door!"

"Shut up!" Sarah shouted. Kate was looking at the ground, red faced and tears in her eyes. "Or I'll show you dangerous!"

Kate looked gratefully at Sarah as Tracy huffed off. The other mothers quickly dispersed.

"Don't listen to her, even for a minute." Sarah said, still hot-tempered. "Tracy is the gossip of the street. She always makes _private _business _her_ business. Someday, she will get her comeuppance! That will be the day that I peer out the window, laughing as she's embarrassed before the whole street!"

Kate's dark mood disappeared as she laughed at her friend. Sarah looked a bit sheepish.

"Sorry," Kate apologized for laughing. "But you have to admit..."

"Right." Sarah teased. "Can I hold Bailey?"

"Sure," Kate handed her over. "Do you mind if we swing by my house? She just woke up and I can grab her bottle."

"No problem." Sarah cooed to the baby. "She's the most adorable little thing. If you ever need a babysitter, you know where to come."

Kate grinned. "Thanks. I'll remember that." She turned onto the front walk, and Sarah turned to her.

"You're living with the doctor! How long have you two been married?"

Kate flushed. "We're not exactly married."

"Oh," Sarah said. "Wasn't the doctor from the plane, too?"

"Yah." Kate smiled. "Jack, his name's Jack."

"Ah. So you and Jack are still together?"

Kate was finding it very easy to talk to her new friend. "Just since last month. I figured it was time that Sammy met his dad."

Kate got out Bailey's bottle from the fridge and put it in the microwave. Sarah sat on one of the kitchen stools, playing with Bailey.

"I'm divorced myself." Sarah said. "My kids don't like it when I date. They say I'm too old. Then again, I haven't found a man worth dating, who's available anyway."

Kate shrugged, not knowing what to say. She took the bottle from the microwave and handed it to Sarah, who held it to Bailey's lips.

"You don't mind, do you?" Sarah looked up at Kate. "That I'm in your house?"

"Of course not." Kate smiled. "It's nice to have someone to talk to."

Sarah gasped in mock shock. "You mean you don't talk to Bailey?"

"She sure doesn't talk back." Kate raised her eyebrows.

"You're all the luckier for that." Sarah shook her head in exasperation. "All my teenager does is talk back, when she bothers to check bases with me."

"How old is she?"

"Jenna's fifteen." Sarah rolled her eyes. "Pray Sam doesn't grow up like her."

Kate grinned. "I'd deserve it. I wasn't the perfect teenager either."

Sarah pondered. "Neither was I, come to think of it."

Kate sighed. "Bailey's already got a bit of a temper."

"Couldn't have got it from her ma, huh?" Sarah nudged Kate.

"I dunno." Kate knew that she couldn't let out the story of how she came about Bailey, not even to a friend. "I suppose."

"I'd hate to see you in a temper." Sarah mused. "I could tell you were getting mad with Tracy, but you held it in. They're always the worst, those that hold it in. Then it explodes. Take my ex, Ryan for example. Maybe I nagged him too much, I don't know, but I won't stand any hitting, that's the first thing I told him after."

Kate had jerked her head up, thinking Sarah was making a reference to her crime. She lowered it when Sarah began talking about her own life.

Sarah blushed. "I hadn't meant to say that. I've never told anyone."

"I won't tell." Kate promised.

Sarah caught a glimpse of the clock about the table. "Got to go, I have cupcakes in the oven."

Kate took Bailey. "Thanks for coming over, and for..you know."

"I'll expect repayment," Sarah teased. "Come over sometime."

"I will." Kate smiled and showed her friend out of the house.

**Yay for Sarah, right? In a lot of my fanfics, I always have to have the meddling, nosy townsperson. In my Newsies fanfic, I've got two of them that always go around together. Anyway, please review. I've noticed how fanfics written for tv shows get a lot more reviews than my ones written for books or just plain out moviews. It's nice. Flattering. Whatever.**


	6. Chapter 6

**This has a bit of action, but is mostly a build-up for the next two chapters, which are going to be amazing, let me tell you. I really like it personally. Its got some humor in it, as well. I think I've just got to be in the mood.  
**

**CHAPTER 6**

Kate opened her mouth as soon as she walked into the school's office. "Where's Sam?"

The secretary stared at Kate and Jack for a minute, trying to figure out whose parents they were. "Oh. He's in there." She nodded towards the principals office. Jack knocked on the door, and opened it when there was an answer. He held Bailey in her carrier with one strong arm.

A tall, balding man sat at a desk, hands folded neatly on top. He was well-built, and quite a striking figure. Awards on the wall behind his desk identified him and Mr. Hamlin. Sam sat on the other side of the desk, slouching in his seat, backpack on the floor by his side.

"Please, have a seat." The principal gestured to the seats on the other side of the desk. "You're probably wondering why we called you in." He was silent, obviously waiting for one of them to say something.

"Yes." Jack nodded.

"Well, I don't wish to incriminate your son, but there was an incident this morning..."

"I didn't do anything." Sam interrupted. Kate put an arm around her son and glared at the principal.

"Let him finish, son." Jack said.

"Samuel yelled at another boy. He got quite upset and for no apparent reason."

"Tyler is a..." Sam caught a look from Kate and hastily revised his sentence. "He's stupid."

Mr. Hamlin shook his head disapprovingly. "It's that attitude that will get you into trouble."

"All he did was yell." Jack reasoned. "I don't think that's a good enough reason to get him into this much trouble."

"Oh, but it is." Mr. Hamlin said very firmly. "I just want you to be aware of his situation here at Frederick Elementary."

"It's only his second week!" Kate protested. "And this is his first mistake!"

Sam got up, slinging the backpack onto his shoulder. "I don't even care. Let's just go.""Hold on, Sam." Jack said, then turned back to Mr. Hamlin. "We'll talk to Sam about it. It won't happen again."

Kate glared again at Mr. Hamlin before getting out of her seat and following Sam out of the office.

As soon as they pulled out of the school parking lot, Kate began quizzing her son.

"What happened?"

"Nothing." Sam traced his reflection in the window.

"I'm not mad." Kate said. "Did he deserve it?"

Sam nodded. "Over and over again."

"Kate, that's not the way we want to teach him to deal with his problems." Jack scolded.

"He has to stand up." Kate argued. "He needs to learn that. How would you have him deal with his problems?"

"Talk to the teacher, talk calmly with the other boy, I don't care, as long as he doesn't get into trouble."

"All kids get into trouble, into fights." Kate's voice was rising and Sam made faces at Bailey to make her smile. "Sammy didn't do anything wrong!"

"He did do wrong." Jack maintained. "You don't get in trouble for doing nothing."

"I'd rather he got into trouble than took some other kid's crap!" Kate snapped.

Jack made a sharp right turn. "We can talk about it later."

The car was silent for the rest of the ride home, except for Bailey's giggles. When the car came to a stop in the driveway, Sam jumped out. He ran up the front walk and waited at the door.

Jack and Kate both sat in the car, knowing the words that needed to be said.

"I'm sorry." Jack apologized. "I guess I'm being too hard on him."

"Yah." Kate nodded. "He's just five, Jack." She relented. "I'm sorry for yelling."

Jack gave Kate a swift peck on the lips and took the keys out of the ignition.

* * *

"Well, look who's here." Tracy folded her arms and glared at Kate. 

"Get over it. I'm here every morning." Kate snapped, tired of ignoring her.

Sarah grinned as Tracy sneered. "Don't tell me what to do."

"You've been trying to tell me what to do for weeks." Kate folded her arms right back at the other woman. "It's my turn."

Tracy was lost for words. One of the other women let out a snort that quickly turned into giggles. Tracy turned to her.

"Liz, you'd better not bother coming to the party tonight."

Liz, a young woman with dirty-blond hair, tried to look serious, but failed. "Sorry, Trace."

Tracy gave her a dirty look and put an arm around her little daughter.

Sarah smiled at Liz as the woman came over. "Glad you've joined us."

"She was getting on me anyway." Liz smiled brilliantly. "I'm Liz, by the way."

"I'm Kate." Kate smiled at the younger woman. "Which kid is yours?"

Liz pointed at a cute little boy. "That's Josh."

Josh looked about Sam's age and was talking very animatedly to a group of children. He was waving his arms around as he talked to them. The other kids were laughing at what he said. Liz smiled proudly.

"Why don't you both come to my house after the bus comes?" Sarah suggested.

"Jack's got Bailey, and he has to leave for work." Kate apologized.

Sarah handed Kate her cell phone. "Give him a call."

Kate grinned back and dialed the number.

"Nathan left for work already." Liz nodded at Sarah. "I'd love to come."

"Jack? Can you bring Bailey to me? I'm going over to Sarah's." Kate talked into the phone. "Thank you so much. Bye"

As Kate gave Sarah her cell phone back, her eyes widened with a strange expression. Sam was staring at a car that was parked on the other side of the street, with fear evident on his face.

"Oh no." Kate crossed the space between them in four long strides. "Sam, is it him?"

Sam shook his head. "I thought I saw a big dog."

Kate took another look at the other car. It didn't look as if there was another person in it. "Are you sure? Sam?"

Sam nodded. "Course I am. It was a bigger dog than Oceanic, and he was all black. I think it was just a shadow."

Sarah put a hand on Kate's shoulder. "Kate, what was that all about?"

"Nothing." Kate shook her head. "It's really stupid."

"You can tell me."

Kate looked around pointedly. "I'll tell you later."

Sam hugged his mom quickly as the bus pulled up. "Bye, Mom."

"See you, Sammy!" Kate called back.

Jack pulled up in his car and rolled down his window. "She's in the back, Kate."

Kate opened the backseat and took Bailey out of her car seat. "Come home in time for dinner."

"Of course." Jack promised, and Kate gave him a quick kiss. Jack waved and drove off.

"Aww, how cute." Liz teased.

"Can't tell me you and Nathan don't..." Sarah began, a mischievous look in her eyes.

Liz flamed and poked her with her elbow. "That's cheating."

The three women started walking to Sarah's house.

"Is there something I've missed?" Kate wondered.

"I'm only twenty-one." Liz said. "Nathan's not much older. We're supposedly irresponsible and wild."

"And?" Kate didn't get it.

"And the fire's still burning." Sarah burst into laughter and Kate joined her.

"One way to put it." Liz mumbled.

"So, we're alone." Sarah turned her key in the lock. "What went on back then?"

Kate sighed. "Before I cam to Jack, I was sort of..." She broke off.

"Sort of what?" Liz said curiously.

"Sortofkindofbeingstalked." Kate rushed out. When met with their blank faces, she slowed down. "I was being stalked."

"You're kidding!" Liz said, with a horrified face.

"Did you see him again?" Sarah worried, reaching for the phone.

"I don't know what his car looks like. I thought Sam did, but he said he saw a dog."

"Is that why you came to Jack?" Sarah said.

"Part of it."

"Did you ever meet him?" Liz sat down at the table. "Can I hold your baby?"

Kate handed Bailey over and also sat down. "I was a waitress at this restaurant he came to."

"Did anything happen?" Sarah questioned.

"No." Kate answered firmly.

Sarah gave her a look. "I've got a teenage girl. I can tell when I'm being lied to."

"Nothing happened, I..." Kate faltered. She didn't want to lie to her friends. "He followed me home."

"What did you do?" Liz's eyes were wide and her jaw had dropped.

"He came at me and...Jack thinks he just cut me. I showed him the scar, but I didn't just get cut." Kate's eyes unfocused as if she was speaking to someone very far away.

"What happened? What did he do?" Liz stammered out, wrapped up into the story.

"I got back into the hotel and Sammy helped me. He didn't understand what happened anyway."

"What did happen?" Sarah pressed.

Kate jerked back to the present. "I didn't get raped, if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh." Liz looked a bit abashed.

"He just did things to me." Kate explained quietly. "I hit him over the head with his gun. As soon as I could walk again, we were out of there."

"You told the police, didn't you?" Sarah confirmed.

"Jack did, when I told him. I know he's still around, though." A dark look crossed Kate's face.

"Honey, it's going to be okay." Sarah put her arm around Kate's shoulders. "They've probably got a warrant out for him."

"I'm scared." Kate admitted.

"I'd be totally freaked out." Liz whispered. "I'm already totally freaked."

A loud noise from upstairs startled them.

"Jenna and Tony left for school already." Sarah whispered. "Kate, get under the table."

"No. He wants me, not you." Kate replied, white-faced. "I'm not going to let him hurt you."

"Get under the table!" Sarah hissed as Liz tiptoed to the kitchen drawers and picked out some sharp knives.

"I can't." Kate grabbed a knife from Liz and placed herself in front of the women. Footsteps started to come down the stairs.

Sarah grabbed her own knife and stepped in front of Kate.

A teenage girl met them with a disgusted look. "Um, okay." She crossed the kitchen to the fridge, still in her pajamas and with mussed hair.

"Jenna, you're supposed to be at school!" Sarah scolded.

"Something came up." Jenna took out a can of soda and popped the lid.

"You're going to get dressed right now and get in the car!" Sarah said sternly.

"Make me." Jenna sneered as she went back up the stairs.

Sarah gave the other women an exasperated look as she followed her daughter up the stairs. Liz and Kate giggled as they heard the fireworks upstairs.

"Get your butt down there! You need to be in school!"

"School sucks! I don't learn anything! The teachers are all gay!"

"I don't care! Get dressed! Put this on!"

"Ew! I haven't worn that shirt since eighth grade!"

"Why is it still on your floor? I buy you clothes and you don't take care of them!"

"You bought me these three years ago!"

"What about all the rest of these?"

"I take care of them! Just cause they're on my floor, doesn't mean I don't take care of them!"

"Find some clothes, and put them on!"

"Not in front of you!"

"You'd better have those on in five minutes and get down these stairs or you'll be grounded!"

"Whatever!"

Sarah marched down the stairs, face flushed. "Whew. Just wait. Wait till your kids grow up."

"We've got time." Liz bragged.

Sarah popped a bagel in the toaster and got out the cream cheese. "Do you guys want one?"

"One to split." Kate said, after glancing at Liz. "Thanks."

When Jenna stomped down the stairs, Sarah handed her a bagel.

"Cream cheese?" Jenna stared in disgust. "I don't eat cream cheese! Do you know how many frickin' calories are in it?"

"I'll be right back." Sarah slammed the door behind them.

Kate and Liz guiltily looked down at their cream cheesed bagels.

**Wasn't it good? Please review, as I worked hard on it and would like a bit of compensation. The next chapers are going to be good, and I've got the next couple events planned out already.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer - Jack, Kate, Charlie, Claire, Aaron, Oceanic, the backstory belongs to ABC Lost. The rest, belongs to _me._**

**CHAPTER 7**

"I'm not going to school!" Sam yelled from under his bed.

Kate reached for her son, but he smacked her hand away. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "Sammy, come out of there."

"I hate my teacher!" Sam shouted. "I hate Mr. Hamlin! I don't wanna go!"

"You can't stay home." Kate said. "You choose to go to school, now you have to stick with it."

"Kindergarten _sucks._" Sam pouted.

"Don't you want to see your friends?" Kate asked.

"No!" Sam protested.

Kate leaned against Sam's bed and put her head in her hands. "C'mon, Sam, your dad isn't home. You're going to be late."

"I never want to go back to school ever again." Sam decided.

"It's against the law to keep your kids home from school. Do you want me to get in big trouble?"

Sam hesitantly crawled out. "Can't you just say I'm sick?"

"Here, put these on." Kate pulled some clean clothes out of the drawer and handed them to Sam. Sam reluctantly put them on.

"Can I buy a lunch at school?" Sam asked.

"I don't see why not. Are you going to eat good?" Kate questioned.

"I like hamburgers. They give you carrots and applesauce and a milk, too." Sam answered.

"Alright. I'll give you the money before we leave. Hurry!"

Sam grumbled as his slid his legs into his pants.

Kate went to the nursery and checked on Bailey. She was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Kate picked her up and Bailey began to babble.

"Well, aren't you cheerful this morning." Kate kissed Bailey's nose, making the baby smile.

"I'll put some toast in." Sam said as he trudged down the stairs.

"There's a new jar of jam in the cupboard." Kate called back. She quickly dressed Bailey and changed her diaper. Turning with her child in her arms, she once again surveyed the nursery.

Jack had a lot of unused rooms in the house and he had eagerly worked on them for the kids. He had painted Bailey's room a soft shade of yellow. He had ordered a matching crib, changing table, rocking chair, dresser, and toy chest on the first day that he and the women had gone shopping. All in all, it was the perfect room that Kate had always wanted to give Bailey.

Sam's room was quite different. He had a sturdy wooden bed against one wall and a nightstand and bookcase on either side of it. The dresser was next to the closet. There was a dog bed for Oceanic that was slid halfway under the bed, though Kate suspected that Oceanic was in Sam's bed more than his own. The floor was cluttered with toy cars and Legos. Sam had seen a large plastic plane in a toy store and had begged for it. He said it reminded him of the one in his dreams. Jack bought his son anything that he asked for, so the plane had come home. Sam also had "treasures," which mainly included dried-out birds' nests and ordinary pebbles. Taped up pictures lined his walls and crayons and paper cluttered the surface of his desk.

Kate shook out of her reminisce and lightly stepped down the stairs, holding Bailey against her hip. Sam was gnawing on a piece of toast and tapping Oceanic's paw with his toe. His backpack was leaning against his chair.

"I'm almost ready, Mom." Sam stuffed the last piece of toast in his mouth and chugged his orange juice. "Just got to brush my teeth." Still chewing, he took the stairs at a run.

Kate took two dollars out of her purse and put it in Sam's backpack where he could find it. She smiled when she saw that he still had "his lucky rock" in its paper bag.

"Boys will be boys." She mused, zipping up his backpack.

Sam ran back down the stairs. "Hurry, Mom, we're going to be late!"

Kate handed him his backpack. "Like you'd be too upset."

Sam grinned sheepishly. "Maybe I wanna see my friends a little bit."

At the bus stop, Sam ran to stand with his friends. He had become fast friends with Josh, Liz's boy, and Billy.

"Did you hear the news?" Sarah asked with a worried expression.

"No." Kate shook her head. "Why?"

"There was a bad accident this morning on the highway. Seven cars totaled."

Kate sighed. "I guess Jack will be home late again." Catching the look on Sarah's face, she grimaced. "Sorry. I must sound like a horrible person."

Sarah smiled. "More like a doctor's wife, actually."

"Mom!" Sam ran up to Kate and grabbed her hand.

"What's wrong?" Kate quickly scanned the street.

"Billy wants me to play at his house after school. Can I go, _please_?"

"If I don't get any more phone calls from the school." Kate teased and Sam's face fell. "You can go."

"Thanks!" Sam dashed off again.

Liz beamed as she brought Josh to the bus stop. "Kate, Sarah, guess what?"

"What?" Sarah asked.

"I'm pregnant!" Liz smiled wide enough to crack her face.

"That's wonderful!" Sarah hugged her.

"Congrats." Kate smiled at her friend.

"I'm so excited!" Liz bubbled. "We're hoping for a girl, since we've got Josh already. Josh wants a little brother, of course."

"Maybe you'll have twins. " Kate laughed.

"Or two of each." Sarah suggested.

Liz made a face. "One's trouble enough. Let's not push it."

"Are you and Jack trying for another one?" Sarah asked shamelessly.

Kate turned red and decided not to reveal the fact that they slept in two separate rooms. "Not right now. I can't even think of having two babies." Kate looked at Bailey. "She's going to start walking soon."

"Josh was a _terror_." Liz shook her head.

"No, Jenna could top it." Sarah said, confidently. "Ran away from me and hid. Mostly in the house, but sometimes in stores. What was Sam like?"

Kate looked down. "I wasn't there for the first year or so. After that, Sam was clingy. He never ran away."

"I'm sorry." Sarah said softly. "At least you were there for Bailey."

Kate started to shake her head, but stopped. No one but Jack and Sam knew about Bailey not belonging to her. Technically, Kate had kidnapped the baby. "Yah."

The bus pulled up and kids shuffled up the steps. Kate said goodbye to the other women and went back to her house.

* * *

Kate changed the channel on the T.V. She was curled up on the couch under a blanket. Yawning, she took another bite of a chocolate cookie and downed it with a gulp of milk. 

The front door opened and Jack wearily trudged in. Kate got up and hugged him. Jack started to cry as he held her.

"Was it bad?" Kate asked gently.

"I couldn't save her, Kate." Jack's voice was full of pain. "I stood over her for hours on the operating table and there wasn't anything I could do."

"Hey, hey." Kate murmured. "It's alright. You did your best."

"My best just isn't good enough." Jack ripped free of her embrace and slowly walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. Kate watched warily.

Jack opened it and raised it to his lips. Sighing, he poured it down the sink and tossed the can on the counter.

Kate took a bowl from the cupboard and dished up some soup from a pan on the stove. She put it in the microwave. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes." Jack said. "How are the kids?"

"Good." Kate answered. "Sam played with his friend after school. Bailey spit up all over Oceanic, who smeared it on the floor."

Jack chuckled. "Sounds like you had fun."

Kate took the soup out of the microwave and set it before Jack. "Yup."

Jack took a big bite and chewed it slowly. Kate stood behind his chair and began to rub his shoulders.

"That feels good." Jack leaned his head back.

"It was supposed to." Kate smiled and looked down at him. Impulsively, she kissed his forehead and straightened back up.

"What was that for?" Jack asked with a smile.

Kate blushed. "Nothing."

"Oh." Jack stood clear of his chair and gripped her shoulders. Bending, he kissed her softly. When Kate didn't resist, he pressed his lips more firmly to hers. He slid his hands down towards her waist slowly.

Kate pulled away immediately with a strange and guarded look on her face. Jack took his hands away.

"Don't look at me like that." Jack said. "I'm sorry, okay?"

Kate turned away and looked down at the ground.

"Do I even get a reason?" Jack prodded.

Kate shook her head. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault."

Jack gave a harsh laugh. "I guess that's all I'm going to get."

"I said I'm sorry." Kate mumbled as Jack brushed past her.

"Are you?" Jack shot back. "If you didn't want to kiss me, you could have said so."

Kate got a hurt look on her face. "It's not that, honest."

"Then what is it?"

"I really don't want to talk about it, Jack." Kate said quickly.

Jack shook his head and began to walk out the door. Suddenly, he stopped and whirled around. "Did someone hurt you?"

"What?" Kate said defensively.

"Did someone hurt you?" Jack asked again, coming closer to Kate and holding her arms so that she couldn't turn away.

"No, Jack, no."

"Don't lie to me." Jack shouted. "Did someone hurt you?"

Kate started to cry. "No!"

"Tell me the truth!" Jack yelled.

"Yes!" Kate yelled back. "Yes!"

Jack looked at her with a mixture of love and sadness and deep anger. "Who?"

"I don't know." Kate whispered. "It's that man."

Jack pulled her to him and rocked her back and forth. "It's going to be okay."

Kate murmured against his chest. "I know."

**Hope you liked it and sorry that it took me so long to get out. Please review! I've already got the outline of the next chapter and it's gonna be awesome, I can tell you that much.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry it's a shorter chapter than I usually put out but I've been having writer's block for all of my fanfics. It sucks, so it's taken a while to get writing again.   
**

**CHAPTER 8**

Sam ran into Jack's room in a panic. "Dad, Mom's gone!"

Jack rolled over, releasing Kate from the embrace that he'd had her in all night. "She's right here."

The boy took in the situation, understanding more than other kids would and making a hasty judgment. "Guess she won't be helping me this morning."

"Nothing _happened._" Jack said, wondering why he was explaining himself to his son. "She was upset."

"Oh." Sam yawned. "You going to make breakfast?"

"Sure. Let Bailey sleep, alright?"

"Ok." Sam walked back to his room, patting Oceanic's head. He pulled his sweatshirt over his head and tied his shoes. "Come on, 815."

Oceanic followed Sam down the stairs and sat by the door. Sam threw his backpack next to his dog. Oceanic barked and nodded towards the door.

"I will, Oceanic, I promise." Sam said. "Do you want food first?"

Sam went into the kitchen and poured dry dog food into a silver bowl, putting it on the floor. He tapped the bowl with his foot, making the food shake. Oceanic still didn't come, but instead began to bark. Sam turned around exasperatedly, and froze.

Mustache-man was smiling through the window at him. Sam opened his mouth to scream for his dad, but Mustache-man brought his finger to his lips and shushed Sam.

Sam inched closer to the window and began whispering. "What do you want?"

"Your mother." Mustache-man smiled kindly, something that felt wrong to Sam.

"You can't have her."

"Sam, shut Oceanic up!" Kate shouted down the stairs. Oceanic was still barking. Sam pulled Oceanic back from the window.

"I will get her." Mustache-man whispered before disappearing into the bushes.

"What's he barking at?" Kate came into the kitchen. "He woke Bailey."

"A cat." Sam lied. "Morning, mom."

Kate hugged Sam. "Your dad's running late. He told me to tell you that he can't make breakfast. He can still walk you to the bus, though."

Sam panicked. "I want you to walk me to the bus!"

"You asked your dad to walk to there last night." Kate smiled at him.

"Please, mom, please!" Sam begged.

"Sammy, I'm not even dressed." Kate poured Sam a bowl of Cheerios. "Your father can walk you."

"I can go by myself." Sam protested.

Kate knelt so that she could look in his eyes. "You know it's not safe."

"I can take care of myself." Sam mumbled.

"I know, Sammy. Eat your cereal."

Sam quickly spooned his cereal into his mouth and left the room.

"Kate, can you take Bailey?" Jack hurried down the stairs and passed the baby to Kate. "I'm going to be late. Have you seen my briefcase?"

Kate looked down by the door. "It was right there. Sam! Have you seen Dad's briefcase?"

Jack chuckled. "_Dad_?"

Kate blushed. "It's easier than saying 'your dad's'."

"No, I haven't seen it." Sam shouted with a mouth full of toothpaste.

"Don't drool on the floor!" Kate warned.

"I'm not a dog...oops."

"Clean it up, son." Jack told him.

Sam spit out his toothpaste into the sink and saluted. "Yes, sir." Sam got a piece of toilet paper and wiped it up.

"Still can't find my briefcase." Jack groaned.

"You look. I'll take Sammy." Kate smiled up at him.

Sam thumped down the stairs and grabbed his backpack. "I'm ready."

Kate opened the door. "I guess you're stuck with me, kiddo."

"Ok." Sam shrugged. "Let's go. See ya, Dad."

Sam stepped out of the house and looked around carefully.

"Only look both ways when you cross roads." Kate teased.

Sam laughed. "Forgot where I was."

Kate shook her head at her son. "Funny, Sammy. Just remember to actually look both ways when you need to."

"Course." Sam shrugged. As they walked down the sidewalk, Sam took his mom's hand.

"In public, Sammy?" Kate teased. He shrugged and gripped her hand tighter.

While the bus stop was in site, a car screeched up next to Kate and Sammy. Kate yanked her son away from the car and turned around in surprise.

Mustache-man grinned as he sat in the car. Slowly, he reached into his pocket and pointed a gun at Kate.

**Please review and inspire me to update sooner!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**This has taken me such a long time to get out that you'd better appreciate it.  
**

**Chapter 9**

Kate froze and sheltered Sam behind her.

"Please," Mustache-man gestured with his gun. "Get in the car."

"No," Kate pleaded. "Please, please, please."

"Kate?" Sarah started walking towards her from the bus stop. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes." Kate called back, voice cracking. "I'll just be a minute."

Sarah stopped but watched carefully.

"If you get in the car now," Mustache-man allowed. "I won't hurt your son."

"Don't take my mum." Sam knelt down and began to fiddle around in his backpack. Mustache-man paid him no mind.

"Okay." Kate began to walk in front of the car. "I'll come. Sammy, I love you. Tell your dad and Bailey that I love them."

Kate walked with the stiff determination and distance that she had used when she killed Wayne. She breathed with the coolness she used when getting arrested. She couldn't help the last, desperate look she gave Sarah.

Sarah began to hurry towards the car, taking her cell phone out of her pocket. "Kate?"

A gunshot split the air.

Sarah, Kate and Mustache-man flinched. Sam stood solidly, holding a small gun that pointed at Mustache-man. The man fell back unto the seats in the car.

"Sammy!" Kate ran towards him and enveloped him in a hug. "It's going to be okay, it's going to be okay."

Sam was shaking and he dropped the gun. He buried his face in his mom's hair and cried.

Sarah spoke into the phone. "Yes, there's been an attempted kidnapping and a shooting... No, the kidnapper... At least, I think he was kidnapping her... No, she didn't... Her son did... Can we just get an ambulance and a police car down here?"

Jack ran out of the house, with Bailey in his arms. He handed the little girl to Sarah and knelt by his wife. "Kate, what happened? Are you alright? Is Sam okay?"

"No, he isn't!" Kate snapped. "He shot..."

"Dad." Sam wrapped an arm around Jack's neck.

Sirens could be heard in the distance.

Liz stood next to Sarah. "Is she okay?"

"I think so. That was scary."

Sarah and Liz peered in the window of Mustache-man's car and jumped back when he twitched. Liz snatched his gun away and hit him on the head with it. He became still once more.

"Liz!" Sarah scolded. "He's a dying man!"

"He tried to hurt Kate." Liz shrugged. "Besides, there's an ambulance. See?"

The police and ambulance pulled up next to the car.

A policeman walked up to Kate, Sam, and Jack. "I need to ask you some questions."

"Leave them alone!" Sarah snapped. "I saw the whole thing."

"Okay." The policeman turned to Sarah. "What happened?"

"I was over there," Sarah pointed to the bus stop, where mothers and their kids were standing shocked. "And I saw Kate and Sammy coming towards us, like they always do. A car pulled up next to them and then the person in the car started talking to them."

"Did anything appear out of place?" The policeman questioned.

"No." Sarah shook her head, bouncing Bailey on her hip. "I asked her if everything was okay, and she said it was. I was fine with that, until Kate started to cross in front of the hood. She looked at me and she didn't look okay. So I took out my cell and then I heard a gunshot."

"Who fired the shot?"

"I was getting to that." Sarah glared. "Anyway, so we all froze and it was Sam, Kate's son, that fired the shot. I dialed 911."

"Wait," Liz gasped. "Is this the guy that Kate was talking about? The stalker?"

"I guess." Sarah said.

"It's him." Kate confirmed.

The paramedics had Mustache-man on a stretcher. The policeman ordered another officer to accompany them.

Liz suddenly realized that she was still holding the gun. "He had a gun." She handed it to the policeman.

"Is this the gun that fired the shot?" The officer picked up Sam's gun. "How did the boy get the gun?"

"Yes, Sam," Jack gently shook Sam's shoulder. "

"I stole it." Sam admitted. "From my mom's car."

"You told me you didn't take it!" Kate said, shocked.

"I put it in the paper bag."

"Your lucky rock was in the bag." Jack shook his head confusedly.

"It was and then I put the gun in the bag because it was the same heavy." Sam frowned. "I didn't take it out ever again. I kept it in my backpack so I could keep my mom safe."

"You brought a gun to school?" The officer scribbled something onto the notepad he had out.

Kate buried her head in her hands. "Sammy, what have you done?"

"I kept it deep in my backpack." Sam argued. "I never told anyone about it. It was a secret."

"We'll need to talk about this down in the station. Meanwhile, we won't need to take you away from your family. You should probably stay home from school today."

The officer left in his patrol car.

Sarah handed Bailey to Kate. "Good luck. I hope things go okay."

Liz squeezed Kate's shoulder and followed Sarah.

Kate looked up at Jack. "Is everything going to be okay?"

"I promise Kate, everything is going to be fine. I promise."

**Okay, I am so done with this fanfic. One more chapter, the epilogue, and I am done. Please review so I can know what to put in the epilogue. I'm think 815 reunion, wedding, maybe some pregnancy, revealing if Sam is in trouble or not, explaining about Mustache-man, maybe even some Jex. But, you'll have to tell me what you want so you'd better review.  
**


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